Consumer Alert
Robocallers, you’re out
Most robocalls are prohibited by law, but scammers and dishonest people continue to send them. And even some legitimate companies violate peoples’ privacy rights with illegal robocalls. Today the FTC announced several victories in the fight against illegal robocalls.
In the first victory, the FTC announced that it stopped the operator of a series of sham charities called “Veterans of America.” That operator sent millions of robocalls to donors and collected more than half a million dollars illegally. The robocalls’ message claimed that the organization was a charity and donations were tax deductible. None of that was true. The FTC stopped him in his tracks, and now he can’t send or help others send robocalls anymore. (The FTC’s action challenged practices by Utah resident Travis Deloy Peterson and entities he controlled that used names like Veterans of America and Medal of Honor. The FTC has not taken action against other entities called Veterans of America, Medal of Honor, or similar names.)
In the second victory, the FTC announced that three individual defendants in the case against Point Break Media agreed to a robocall ban, and a ban on helping others send robocalls. All of them were part of a scheme that sent false (and alarming) robocalls to small business owners to get their money.
Today’s announcement also includes a double victory in the NetDotSolutions case. Three defendants who provided the autodialers used to place billions of illegal robocalls are now banned from supplying autodialers to telemarketers. In fact, those defendants provided the autodialing technology used by robocallers in at least eight prior FTC cases. They also will pay $1.35 million.
And finally, yet importantly, the FTC got a fourth victory in the Higher Goals Marketing case, where seven defendants agreed to a telemarketing ban. These defendants operated a credit card debt-relief scheme, which they started just weeks after the FTC closed a similar operation in the Life Management Services case, and where several of the defendants had previously worked.
The FTC’s work against illegal robocalls continues, and you can help by letting us know when you get an illegal robocall: www.ftc.gov/complaint. Read this article to learn more, or visit ftc.gov/calls.
Note: This post was updated on November 6, 2020
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May 15, 2019
The car warranty bs is a joke of jokes. I haven't driven for several years. Each time, I look up the offending number. Car in question is never one I drove, and isn't the same vehicle twice. Why do they do this? Stupid. They should just perish.
May 22, 2019
Getting non-stop robocalls from Laura that says we have been granted a limited enrollment. For Cigna Health Net and Blue Cross PPO insurances. They keep changing numbers. I must have blocked 15 of them but nothing is working to stop the calls. Help!!!
May 24, 2019
I started saving these numbers in hopes that if I say it come in I would know it was a robo call. However, they rarely use the same number twice. I know the 9 (Do not Call) is BS so I tried to talk to the person. They didn't expect that I think and hung up. This leads me to believe that somehow they can collect info off your smart phone. I'm OLD school and have an old flip phone, nothing they can get from me except phone numbers.
May 31, 2019
I have been recieving between 5 to 10 calls every night, always, from a different number and always in the evening hours as late as 10 pm. Tried to report but the form requires information and one number and as I stated; always different numbers. FYI, I finally found that if using a cell phone, you can put on do not disturb and it will only let numbers through that are in your contacts. At least I can sleep at night. This is harassment pure and simple and they should be investigated and prosecuted as such.
June 10, 2019
I am sick and tired of these robocall to my home phone (landline) my personal cell phone, my work cell phone and my business phone (landline)! I don't need medical equipment, air duct cleaning, extension to my vehicle warranty, and I'm not making any donations to any organization over the phone! I've practically stopped answer my phones if I do not recognize the number or their name doesn't show up on my caller ID. I used to tell the caller to take my name off their list but it didn't do any good, they keep calling and now with the robo calls all you can to do is hang up and then block the number on your phone! Last week I had one supposedly from the IRS in KY telling me to call a number and to hit a specific number on the key pad. I hung up and tried to block the number on my phone. Please help put a stop to these scammers, both domestic and international! Maybe we should give them our Senator or Congressman's phone number and maybe just maybe they'll get something done about it. Oh well, it was a lovely thought!
June 12, 2019
There is an easy fix (if we all do it). My mother(82 yrs) has been taken twice as well as my brother in law. There are a number of scams: "you're grandson is in jail, and you need to bail him out ", Microsoft giving you a refund and taking control of your computer, The IRS has a warrant out for you, etc.
Any way, I purchased a very loud signal horn (air horn), and I let the intruders take me down a path, and as I tell them that they should not take advantage of people, I let the airhorn rip into the phone. I guarantee their ear hurts a bit after, and maybe they will think twice before they pray on someone else. If we all did that, maybe it would stop. Just a thought....
June 18, 2019
Hopefully soon providers of phone service will block these calls (free of charge to customer) before they ever get to we customers. Even paying for call blocking ability does not prevent phone from ringing. designation of "Invalid phone number" or "Robocaller" should appear as caller ID for ALL of these type of calls. Please make it happen.
June 19, 2019
Automated call telling me "You have not paid your taxes". Tells you to press 7 to be removed. All it does is remove you from that number's list, soon after same call new number. Number always revolved. Pressed 1 and talked to an Alan, said he was with Tax Relief and wanted to stop the IRS from garnishing me. Informed him he was violating federal laws not only robocalling but to my cell phone on top of it. Advised him to permanently remove me or I would file a formal complaint. Not sure it will help since they somehow got Gov't information to start calling me so doubt the Gov't will stop them.
June 27, 2019
Everyday, every minute on landline and now cell phone! Don’t we have enough with the terrible news, weather conditions, etc. now I block a call and somehow they know and call again on a different number(s). Please this has got to stop. Now it’s about Social security being compromised!!!!! Ugh!!!!
July 10, 2019
This is not working on a minimum I recieve 3 calls a day from a person who sounds like there from India. The phone number is from my local area code and changes everytime. If I call back sometimes it's a legit number to a real person it seems the steal the numbers very quick then disconnect them. So since the number changes I cannot block them they just keep getting new ones. So in my eyes things have gotten much worse not better at all so again dont declare any victories they are three steps ahead of you. Please stop this it effects our work.
July 15, 2019
Calls to my business up to 40 times a day. social security scams, credit card scams, debt relief scams. it gets insanely sickening that nobody is doing anything about it.
August 06, 2019
All day long, robocallers and calls which simply hang up with nobody there. AI bots trying to communicate with me. I do not talk to robots. I've repeatedly requested a permanent block to any and all calls which are routed through or originate from any country other than the USA. I have no good reason to talk to anyone from outside of the USA and for many years I have refused to do business with companies whom do not offer American phone representatives. Vote with your wallet.
August 09, 2019
It won't stop until Violators receive 5 years in prison for anyone connected to a robocall system. I get 10 + robocalls a day..I don't have time to report all of them to do not call..How do they have so many telephone numbers to call from that cannot be called back on.
August 10, 2019
Perhaps the FTC should work on ways to prevent ANYONE from using a false caller ID name or number, and make that a FELONY!
August 12, 2019
Something needs to be done about the robocalls from scam debt collectors like this: "This is Heather Watts. This message is intended for ***** *****. I have a fax order delivery for ***** *****. Please reference delivery id SJ******. We have made several attempts to reach you. We will make a direct attempt at your place of employment and or your residence regarding proper delivery of these documentations. To schedule an alternate location or to place a statement on file please call 877-334-3380. Again 877-334-3380 regarding this matter."
This is obviously a scam and it does need to be stopped.
August 15, 2019
someone trying to sell Medicare Programs robocalls 3-6 times daily.
At the end of the call, the option to be taken off the calling list by pressing 9...doesn't work.
August 19, 2019
I have a small business with a cell phone that is listed in my business name. I get at least 10 robocalls a day and I have been on the do not call list since 2007. I know I am losing business calls, however, I never know when a call is a customer who is in need of my services or a telemarketer or robot. So I am forced to just let the phone ring and call the number back with call ID block. Mostly all calls that I return are not in service. Soooooooooo Frustrating!!!!!!!! Please do something to stop the robocall cancer that has killed my ability to conduct business. PLEASE HELP!!!!!!! PLEASE!!!!!!!
September 18, 2019
16039996896
is only one I saved to put here, the do not call list doesn't seem to work very well. I've been on it for a few years I redo my number each year and I get more calls then I have in the past. Do they give out the numbers we put on the list?
October 30, 2019
I love getting these calls anymore - because there are ways to mess with them.
Most often the calls I’ve gotten have a spoofed #.
So where does that get you when reporting to FCC’s DoNotCall? I still report the number anyway, but still now “press 5?” to speak with a “representative” (yeah, right) to hear (always the first question) “Could you verify make and model?” ...to always my first question “Well you called me, so why don’t you have that already?”
They always ask again for make and model and my comeback is always nonsense like “well where is your company located? How can I contact you?
Or my newest favorite “all my cars are junkers. They’re all junkers!” (That one usually ends the call real quick!)
Yes. Keep reporting to the FCC, but maybe waste their time too while you’re at it.
October 30, 2019
my phone company has no robo call feature and still the calls come in, i am on do not call list and still the calls continue ringing my phone off the hook, i have reported them to the FBI, the FTC the FCC and to the phone companies, yet nothing is done to stop them - I am told these scamming spoofers figure out ways to get past all the stops, - well if they were in jail that would not be the case- I see the fact that people make money off the technology that allows the robo calls to be made, they should be sued by the US Gov on behalf of every phone customer that has been annoyed or harassed with these types of calls, also the fact these callers hide their identity should not be allowed, phone companies can put a message on a phone no longer in service then why cant they block a scammer from using it, or from using a paid for phone customers number, they can sell you a block, yet these numbers come from everywhere and many of them from right here in this country, even if from some other country they should not be able to ring my phone of the hook, will it take every phone customer dumping their phone service to stop getting unwanted calls
November 04, 2019
I get a call literally every 5 minutes from two to three different phone numbers what can I do to stop this it is beyond annoying!!!
November 07, 2019
This is simply the WORST! Even if I block every number, I still get 25+ calls per day on numbers I cant call back, that supposedly do not exist! I thought the FTC was supposed to be fabulous! Please help!
November 28, 2019
I got a call at 12:45 in the morning!!! Woke up both my husband and I! We assume it was a stupid overseas caller, this has to stop!
The phone is becoming my enemy, now they are emailing, calling, and texting. Using up my paid for data minutes, this is so unfair. We are on the do not call list and have ATT Call Protect. FIND A WAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
January 02, 2020
Once I registered the number of calls I received increased. I receive one a day from an area code 305. They either represent veterans affairs, fire , police, breast cancer, or most recently anti bullying. They are pushy and try to make me feel guilty for not donating. I use to donate willingly, but no longer since they are harassing me during work hours.
January 08, 2020
R U kidding? You ban them? Criminals will follow that for sure! Should have none not to count on the U.S Govt to do anything useful! I feel I have wasted my time filing 25 plus complaints!
August 03, 2020
The pain and suffering continues FTC, I am on the do not call registry and I get continuous calls about Auto Warranty, scammer or not, how are you addressing callers that spoof other numbers that can not be called back? How can I recover the enourmous amount of time I spend fielding these calls on my business Cell? I charge $350 per hour and have spent many hours in this ridiculous folly. Where should I send my invoice......
August 19, 2020
I've been getting solicitation calls lately from a real person at random, with shifting phone #. They identify themselves as Social Security, which is a federal felony. I tell them that Soc. Sec. never calls clients ever! And that it's a felony to impersonate Social Security (all true) and they hang up. We need a public action group to make these calls a prosecutable crime.